Pore to core scale observations to characterize the wetting state and multiphase flow heterogeneity of subsurface rocks

Abstract:

Recent advances in observational technology allows us to observe the fluid dynamics of multiphase flow in the pore networks of subsurface rocks. The application of these observations towards field scale flow requires observations and modelling across spatial scales ranging many orders of magnitude. However, there are a number of techniques that are already applicable to field scale reservoir characterisation. I will present research in a number of areas of subsurface fluid flow ranging across scales: an exploration of the pore scale fluid dynamics underlying the use of Darcy’s law to model two-phase flow, the use of pore scale observations of fluid morphology in the characterisation of wetting in application to low salinity flooding, and crossing scales in the characterisation and upscaling of small scale heterogeneity, particularly in application to CO2 migration and trapping.